Meet Alycia Cooper Woman on a Mission

To make the world a happier place through laughter!

Alycia Cooper is the CEO of Triumphant Entertainment, Inc.

Tell us about your business.
My comedy provides stand up comedy services to television networks, production companies, corporations, colleges, universities, and private events. My target audience is anyone who needs a good laugh to brighten up their day.

Please tell us what being a business owner means to you and why you became an entrepreneur in the first place?
It has always been important to me to be a business owner. There are so many benefits to working for oneself. The main benefit is that you set your own hours. You can’t beat that!

What or who has been your greatest influence in business and why?
My greatest influence in business is Oprah Winfrey. I watched her for 26 years build an empire. When I first started watching this African-American woman from Kosciusko, Mississippi, I was in high school. Then, I researched her meteoric rise from being raised with an outhouse to becoming a $3 billion dollar brand, in a world that is not kind to women, let alone women of color. This big, brassy, loveable, brilliant, and extremely accomplished woman, rose up from obscurity and made the world take notice.

What would you say is your greatest professional accomplishment to date?
My greatest professional accomplishment to date has been landing a contract with 20th Century Fox Television to begin doing promos for the morning syndicated shows and the website as of September, 2012.

What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our readers? The best advice I have received in business is to always remain professional at all times, and to never takes things personally in business.

What has been the most effective marketing initiatives or programs you have used to promote your business? The most effective marketing tools I use to promote my business is my website: AlyciaCooper.com, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

What one thing have you learned as a small business owner that has served you well over the years?
The one thing I’ve learned is that you will not turn a profit in the first year, so be patient.

Are there any resources or tools you’d like to share with other small business owners that have helped you run your business? If yes, please describe (and include links if available). Another great tool for small business owners is the website: LinkedIn. Every business owner should have a profile there.

Do you have any new projects coming up? My company is now working closely with The TV Guide Network to provide stand-up comedy, to commentate on clip shows, and to come up with original programming for the network.

What do you do for fun/relaxation?
For fun and relaxation I like to travel to the Caribbean, read and write books. I’m finishing my first book with my writing partner, Sylvia Traymore Morrison called, “A Girl’s Guide to The Down Low.”

What is Number One Business Goal you plan to accomplish over the next year?
Over the next year, I plan on reaching new heights with the revenue my business generates.

You want to write a book on “Being a woman in the comedy business” because it’s NO LAUGHING MATTER!

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I am so glad that online magazines like WE exist so that women can network and grow stronger businesses. If we stick together ladies, there is NOTHING that we can’t accomplish! Girl Power!

What’s the best way for our readers to connect with you?